Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Halloween Isn't A Holiday, It's A State Of Mind

Keeping with the theme, here are some pictures of costumes and things I've made for Halloween, though first I want to state here and now my views on Halloween costumes. Sexy costumes are absolutely out. No sexy nurse or French maid will ever darken my door. In the first place there's nothing less original, and in the second, I've never seen a really good, clever costume that was sexy or even particularly attractive. Besides, it's very liberating to be something hideous, because you don't have to worry anymore about looking good, you can just relax and enjoy yourself. I wish I had some pictures of the year I was a West Virginia snake-handler, as a case in point. I still have all the pieces; I may have to dress up in them again and take a picture. Anyway, down off the soapbox.

Heat Miser and Cold Miser, I think this was in about '99 or 2000. It was totally last minute, held together with Stitch Witchery and safety pins:

From the next year, Willie Wonka and the Oompa Loompas. I had more time for this one, and made "Willie's" coat, vest, and bow tie. For the Oompas, all I had to do was paint stripes on the socks and safety-pin elastic on the pants and pom-poms on the shoes.

This is a doll/sculpture I made of "Cinderella Skeleton" from the book by Robert San Souci. Last year I made her consort Prince Charnel but I couldn't find a picture of him. They're polymer clay over a wire armature, with painted faces and acrylic fake fur hair. Cinderella's dress is made of vintage dress scraps, though Prince Charnel's clothes were new fabrics. I'm especially proud of her shoes, which I also made of polymer clay and which are removable. I really like the book and I loved making the characters. I'm thinking I may eventually have to do the stepmother and stepsisters, and especially the skeleton dog.

Here are this year's jack o'lanterns. Mine's on the left and Dad's is on the right. I like the nose on his. Maybe it's coincidence, but the cows across the road started making a huge ruckus when we set them out.